Barb's Blog

Happy July 4th to everyone! We are thrilled to be expecting a new little grandbaby. We are excited, of course, and pray for a safe nine months prior for Amy. Natalie is already saying "Mommy has a baby in her tummy." :) This past week has been a great one, with the exception of one very sad day for our family. The rest of the week was fabulous. We kept our little GRANDdaughter Tristyn, 10 months, on Monday through Wednesdy evening. Then we had 3 yr. old GRANDdaughter Natalie from Friday until Sunday. What fun! We love spending time with them. Charlton and I took Natalie fishing with her Barbie rod/reel and tackle box with real live worms. We went to the Goodyear Park. She was thrilled (a bit intimidated with the squirming worms, of course, but so am I). It made me remember by childhood fishing days in a neighbor's pond. I also didn't like to bait my hook, but my little brother Dan didn't mind. So he baited mine for me. Now my brother Jim wouldn't do that; he thought if I was going to fish, I had to do the whole thing. He took care of his own hook. :) After church on Sunday, we traveled to Paducah to see the Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen at the river front (since the paper had listed July 2 as a scheduled visit.) But, they were no where in sight. Amy and Nathan met us there to get Natalie. So, we then caught a quick burger at Backyard Burger and went to see the new Superman movie. It was a bit loud and too much action for Natalie who promptly fell asleep on my shoulder, then Grampa's, then Nathan's, then Amy's. ;) It was a fun day. Our sad event ....our beloved collie, 5 yr. old Nikki, that we had in our home for 4 1/2 years, then went to live with Amy in January, (she was Amy's puppy and shadow in 2001; and had to stay with us after Amy married Nathan because of the apartment rule) died peacefully (we hope) in her sleep in the downstairs den room at Amy's. Charlton went up to show our respect to Nikki (100 miles away) and to bury her for Amy who was very very saddened by her passing on. (Nathan found Nikki, as Amy had left for work so she could be off on Monday and Tuesday.) Amy had taken her out that morning, brought her back in, fed her, watered her, and she was fine. Then Nathan called her at work. Charlton dug the hole by himself, while quite upset, which I really worried about. Natalie was with me and knew nothing about any of it. Amy asked us not to tell her until she gets home. She loved Nikki, too. But, the vet said, it could have been a seizure or a heart problem. Such a sweet, sweet dog....and very intelligent with a large vocabulary recognition; we'll miss her very much.

Barb's Blog